Metallurgical process.



G. MOORE. METALLUBGIGAL PROCESS. APPLICATION FILED MAE. 19,1906.

91 3,535. Ptend Feb. 23. 1909.

atkouwg UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MOORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METALLURGICAL PROCESS.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application filed. March 19, 1906. Serin-ii No. 306,914.

vmake and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of separating metals from their ores and it consists in certain novel recesses set forth in the claims concluding this specification.

Itis well known that metals in the form of suitable salts-say, chlorids, bromide, or other haloid salts, for example-may be se arated from ores by vaporizing them at reatively xmoderate temperatures; but in all recesses for effecting this result with which am familiar, -products ol combustion, or atmospheric air, with or without the products of combustion, yhave been mixed during the vaporizing process with the vaporized metallic salts, diluting them with nitrogen and other gases to such an extent that it has been ,practically impossible to readily eil'ect complete, or substantiallyT complete, recovery of the metals.

The gist of my invention consists in vaporizing such metallic salts under conditions which exclude, or practically exclude, the presence of atmospheric air, or other dilutent or vehicle which cannot be readilycondensed or absorbed. Ot' course, the presence of small quantities of nitrogen, while undo-- sirable, would not be latalto the practice ol my invention, in substantial form. In Order to vaporizc the metals at relatively low temperatures, it has long been.

- common practice to convert them into haloid condensed and in which the volatilized inetallic chlorid is soluble, the result ol the process will be aqueous solution of the metallic ohlorids, and other soluble constituents, with such particles of metals as have been 'reduced to the metallic state and other soluble constituents. However, other gases than steam may be employed as a vehicle and will be readily suggested to those skilled in the art.

As an exam le ol such other vehicles, lI may mention car on dioxid, which can be readily absorbed by lime water. Again, instead ol' forming the chlorin or bromin gas within the retort, as above described, it will be readily understood that it may be generated elsewhere and introduced into the retort to act not only to convert the metals into the chlorids, but to act also as the vehicle for conveying the vaporized metallic salts away from the retort. On the other hand, instead of the vehicle employed being generated outside the retort, as above described, it may be generated within the retort itself.

therein which will act upon carbonates of lime or Vmagnesia, which may be the constituent part of the ore treated or which Ina be added thereto, to liberate gases which wi l act as the vehicle for carrying the vapors of the metallic salts out ol'l the retort.

The following is a description of the acc-oinpanying drawings, which show an apparatus capable of carrying out my improved processes, but it will be understood that my invention is in no wise limited to the form of apparatus illustrated and described.

The retort l may, ofcourse, be constructed in any desired manner, `and is preferably provided, at its lower end, with a plate 7 spaced above said lower end and supported upon suitable legs G, 6 and also provided with plates 7', 7', carried by legs 6', 6 spacing the plates 7 above plate 7 to exclude tlire ore from the cool portion of the retort. A tube l2 communicates with the bottom of the retort beneath the plate 7, and, when carrying out the process bythe use of steam or gas, the said tube 12 is preferably in comm-unie-ation with a super-heating coil 10 receiving a su ply of steam or gas from any suitable boi er or gas generator.

In carrying out the process, ore with haloid salts-say, common salt-is introduced into the retort 1 surrounded by a heatin cham? ber 2, and the said chamber is beate by any For example, an acid may be introduced the suitable heating means 3. Beforethe volatilization of the metallic salts begins,'how ever, I preferably remove the air from the retort by any suitable means, as, for example, by displacement with steam, or other vehicle employed. Said retort l is provided with a removable cover 4 for charging, and a removable bottom 5 for 'dischargmg ore, plates 7 and 7 preventing the ore from filling the bottom of the retort, which is below the heating chamber and, is, therefore, cool. W hen the air in the retort 1 is heated suliicientiu the valvey is` opened and steam or other gas from boiler or gas generator 9 is admitted tf rough coil 10 in heater l 1 through pipe 12 into retort 1. As 'the steam or gas rises through the hot ore, it carries With it the volatile metallic bromids or chlorids in said retort,` and they are passed out through pipe 13 into coil 14 within the cooling tank 15. The tank 15 is supplied with a cooling agent through pipe 15', which agentiiovvs through said tank and is discharged outpipe 15, the supply through pipe 15 being continuous. It steam is used as the carrier of metal haloids, the condensed Water from such steam with the condensed metals is allowed to run through valve 16 in branch pipe 16 of main discharge pipe 16, communicating With coil 14, and said condensed products are discharged into receptacle 17. The ilow of steam is continued until all of the vapors are removed from "the retort. If other gases are used they are passed through valve 18 and into absorbing solutions: For exam le, if carbon dioXid is 'used as the carrier o the metal haloids, it is passed through calcium hydrate liquor which absorbs all of the gas and its accompanying metals.

Instead of mixing the salts of chlorin or bromin with the ore, the gas of these salts may be generated in chamber 2O and passed with or Without additional carrying gas or steam from the gas generator' or boiler 9, throu h the ore Where the chlorin or bromin gas Wi l unite With the metals and carry them through the condenser and absorber as described below. 4

During either of the operations hereinbefore described valve 21 in pipe 13 may be closed and a pressure developed in retort 1 to force the gases into all interstices of the ore.

After the pressure in retort 1 has risen to the desired degree, the valve 21 ma be opened and the relierc of the pressure Will'cause a large expansion of the contained gases and steam, and a great percentage oi the gases and metals immediately exhaust and pass out pipe 13. This supplying of ressure and ractically all of the metal gases are removedpfrom said retort. i

It desired, the carrier gas may be generated Within the retort by allowing a chemical,

such as acid, to pass from receptacle 22 through pipe 23 into the retort 1, Where, by `chemical action with constituents of ore,

such as carbonates of lime Will be liberated. rl`hese gases, by pressure and expansion, 'may volatile metals out'of the retort, as before described. Y y

rl`he combining of the metals with the chlorin or bromin is aided materially by first converting all the basev metals into sulfates or sullites before converting them into chloride or bromide. rl`his can be done, either by an oxidizing roast of the sulfids,` or

sulfuric acid gas, or by sulfur-ous acid gas with or Without oxygen, or by these acid solutions or oxygen gases of sulfur may be passed into the retort, to aid the reaction in the formation of sodium sulfatey and the decomposition of the haloid salts.A

The volatilization is aided by irst mixing the pulverized ore with solutions of chlorid or bromid saltsand thenevaporating to dryness before treating in the retort. This gives intimate contact ol" every particle of ore with the chlorid or bromid.

it is obvious that the present improved process may be carried out by the utilization of various structures.

The present improvedk process may be car-- ried out with certain essential steps variously related, the essential feature lying in the employment of a readily absorbed or condensed gas as a vehicle for volatilized metals,-such as nitrogen is not, it being understood that steam is Without question a gas, and the term gas, employed in the claims of this application, is intended to cover steam` under ordinary pressure or in a superheat'ed condition, the superheated steam or other gas being or other of a lower temperature.

What l. claim is:

1. 'lhe process of separating metals from theiry ores consisting in volatilizing salts of densable gaseous vehicle through the subjected ores, and condensing the impregnated vehicle.

' 2. The process of separating metals from their ores, consisting in volatilizing salts of the metal in a suitable vessel, forcing steam upwardly through the subjected ores, and condensing the impregnated steam.

3. The process of treating ores in a suitable vessel With a salt capable of producing with the metal a volatilizable product, applying heat. to the treated mass Within the vessel, forcing a condensable gaseous vehicle through the heated mass and condensing the vehicle. l

4. The process of treating ores with salt in a suitable vessel,'consisting in volatilizing the salt by the application 'of heat to the vessel, forcing a condensable gaseous vehicle be made to carry all the by contact ol the oxids or carbonatos withV the metal in a suitable vessel, forcing a con.-K

or magnesia, gases preferable to steam upwardly through the heated mass, and con (lensing the vehicle.

5. The process of treating ores in a suitable vessel with a salt 'capable of producing with the metal a Volatilizable product, ep-

plying heat to the treated mass within the vessel, forcing steam upwardly through the heated mass, ad condensing the steam.

6. The process of separating metals from their ores consistingr 'in mixing pulverized ores with sodium chlorid in an",r suitable Vessel applying heat to the vessel, forcing a condensable gaseous vehicle through the mass, and condensing the Vehicle.

7. The process of separating metals from their ores consisting in mixing pulverized ores with sodium ehlorid in any suitable Vessel, applying hea-t to the vessel, forcingr steam upwardly through the mass and con- (lensing the steam.

8. The process of separating metals from their ores consisting in commingling the gas of a haloid salt with the ores, forcing a condensablo vehicle through the ores and condensing the Vehicle.

9. The process of separating metals from their ores consisting in comininglingl the gas of it haloid salt with the ores, forcing' steam through the ores and condensing the steam.

10. The process of se arating metals fron-1 their ores consisting in renting' the ores, and forcing through them the gas of a haloid salt in combination with a condensahle vehicle, and condensing the combined gases,

il. The process of'sepnrating metals from their ores consisting in heating the orcs and forcing through them the gus of a haloid salt in combination with steam rind coudevnsing the combined gases.

.ln testimony whereof i aiiix my signature i in presence of two witnesses.

EORGE MOORE Witnesses L. Il. Moonn, (finis. J. SHAW. 

